cheaper interisland fares coming

[LoneStar]

If you'll be taking a Hawaiian interisland flight in 2006, it's probably best to wait to ticket. Two new interisland airlines are expected to start up, with the first one launching in February. If history repeats itself, there will be bargains galore on these flights, as the incumbents try to thwart the newcomers. Indeed, an Aloha Airlines spokesman actually predicts this will happen !

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2005-0...sa-hawaii_x.htm

[LoneStar]

Mesa has published some of their new interisland fares. If you can plan ahead, you will be able to island-hop rather inexpensively. Expect all competitors to match, and perhaps beat, these fares. Interisland travel will no longer break the bank.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051031/lam075.html?.v=28

[forress]

Mesa has published some of their new interisland fares. If you can plan ahead, you will be able to island-hop rather inexpensively. Expect all competitors to match, and perhaps beat, these fares. Interisland travel will no longer break the bank.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051031/lam075.html?.v=28

Another tip: if you have United frequent flyer miles, you can redeem an r/t interisland ticket on Aloha airlines for 5,000 miles.

Sign up for the United airlines Chase credit card (no annual fee the first year), they give you 20,000 bonus miles on your first purchase.

[LoneStar]

Just an update: with the entry of a new carrier owned by Mesa Airlines, fares from Honolulu to neighboring islands have dropped to $39 each way. Those fares are not seemingly available for flights between other islands (like the Big Island to Kauai), but even those fares are quite reasonable these days (well under $100 ow).

That 5000 mile United ff award I mentioned is still valid, but I understand it will go to 10,000 miles for new bookings in October. With the new lower interisland fares, it's no longer a super deal, but it's still a good deal, given that most folks would probably not value an airline ff mile much above a penny.